Pathos InTheGroove MM / MC Phonostage

Compact, two-box MM/MC finesse—front-panel control, studio-quiet background

In The Groove is a solid-state phono stage built the Pathos way: a passive-RIAA circuit with an outboard linear power supply, milled-aluminum casework, and on-the-fly loading that lets you dial in your cartridge without opening the chassis. It’s fast, silent, and shockingly revealing—yet still musical in the Pathos tradition.

And like all Pathos products, it is produced by hand in Vincenza, Italy, where Pathos assembles parts onto PCBs made in Italy and where Pathos has its own metal, paint, and woodworking facilities. All of this with superior parts and engineering explained below

Why In The Groove

• External PSU – A two-chassis design with a linear power supply in a separate enclosure keeps noise off the signal for black backgrounds and wide dynamics. The power supply is massive for a phono stage, with a large amount of storage capacitors to drop the noise floor.
• Unsurpassed Build Quality - True dual-mono design using six of the mighty Analog Devices AD797 for gain, a pricey masterpiece op-amp found in flagship microphone preamplifiers used in recording studios around the world. The 62dB of gain is lowered to 56, 50, or 43dB by using metal film resistors operated by costly hermetically-sealed relays that are made in Japan. Assuring that the musical signal is left pristine and untouched. No other brand up to twice the price can claim this.
• Unparalleled flexibility for any cartridge – In addition to the four gain settings, there are six resistance settings: 54, 100, 220, 470, 1K, and 47k ohms to fine-tune tonal balance. For capacitive loading, it boasts 68, 100, and 200 pF as well as 1, 3.3, and 10 nF of capacitive loading, so you are assured of eliminating any chance of cartridge “ringing” that may occur.
• Balanced and single-ended outputs – Drive long cables with meaningful noise rejection by running balanced/XLR or run RCA cables. Your choice.
• Small footprint, big flexibility – Compact two-box form fits anywhere and stacks neatly with Pathos components.

The Sound

Read the 5 Star review from What HiFi where they declare “This phonostage is up there with the best.” Other reviewers call it bold, clear, and dynamic—never hyped. In The Groove maintains tonal balance from top to bottom, with excellent transient speed and control that lets timing and space lock in naturally. It’s the kind of neutrality that flatters both vintage pressings and modern audiophile cuts.

System Matching

Set 43 dB for most moving magnet cartridges, 50–56 dB for most high-output moving coil, and 62 dB for typical low-output MC around the 0.3–0.6 mV range. Use the front-panel resistance and capacitance to fine-tune body and air, and relax to enjoy your vinyl like never before.

Finish & Footprint

Understated Pathos industrial design in a compact stack that’s easy to place on shelves or desktops. Available in black or silver with matching controls to blend with the rest of your Pathos stack.

Who It’s For

• Vinyl lovers who want front-panel control and true low noise without tubes.
• Systems that benefit from balanced XLR into a preamp or integrated.
• Listeners chasing speed, space, and neutrality—with the flexibility to tune.

Specifications

Frequency response: RIAA ± 0.2 dB

THD: 0.04% @1 V RMS , 1 kHz

Gain: 62dB, 56dB, 50dB, 43dB

Input impedance: Selectable in 6 settings of resistance and 6 settings of capacitance

Max output level: 5.5 V RMS unbalanced, 5.5+5.5 V RMS balanced

Analog output: 1 x balanced XLR, 1 x RCA

Output impedance: 75 Ohm unbalanced, 40 Ohm balanced

Power consumption: 10 W max,  <0.5 W standby mode

Dimensions
Preamplifier: 10.2" (D) x 7.87" (W) x 2.75" (H)
Power supply: 9" (D) x 2.36" (W) x 2.75" (H)

Weight (preamplifier, power supply): 5 lb (2.3 kg), 2.64 lb (1.2 kg)